Guan Yu's Escape
by samurai kyuzo
Summary: My own version of Guan Yu's escape from Cao Cao. Not historically accurate, but what is? Comments and feedback much appreciated. I'll continue to update when I have time. Rating just in case for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Guan Yu, Dynasty Warriors or any of the mentioned characters**_

_**Guan Yu's Escape**_

_**Chapter 1**_

**The cool night breeze blew softly over the city of Xu Chang. Music rose from every street. Soldiers marched through the city with pride, receiving food and wine from humble merchants. Every man, woman and child within Xu Chang was rejoicing in celebration, for the evil Yuan Shao had been brought close to defeat. Earlier that day, Cao Cao's army had assaulted Wu Chao compound, captured the food supplies therein and burned what they did not need. With the loss of his supplies, Yuan Shao's army had become desperate and demoralized. **

**This misfortune was merely the latest in a series of tragedies for Yuan Shao. His initial assault had failed, despite far superior numbers. Then Zhang He, one of his finest generals, had defected, taking with him Zhen Ji, the wife of Shao's son, Yuan Xi. The loss of his wife had resulted in Xi's serious depression and sickness, removing him from battle. Finally, Yuan Shao's two most skilled generals; Yan Liang and Wen Chou, had both been slain by the great Guan Yu, golden boy of Cao Cao's forces. Now it was rumoured that Yuan Shao would soon surrender, and victory would belong to Cao Cao, and for this his people celebrated.**

**That is, all but one. Sitting beneath a peach tree in the palace gardens, Guan Yu quietly pondered his life. He thought of his childhood in the Xie province, of the summers he spent with his young wife under trees such as this. He thought of Lu Xiong, the man he had slain after an insult to Yu's wife. He thought of the long years in exile, travelling the land, earning a living through helping local militias. He thought of how he met his sworn brothers, Liu Bei and Zhang Fei, joining them to quell the rebellion of the Yellow Turbans and to defeat the tyrant Dong Zhuo, with Guan Yu slaying Hua Xiong, defender of Si Shui Gate. He thought of Xia Pi, the castle held by the mighty Lu Bu, whose great steed Red Hare was now ridden by Guan Yu himself.**

**After Cao Cao had attacked Xu Zhou, home of Liu Bei, Yu had been trapped within the city with Ladies Fui and Yan, two of Liu Bei's wives. Cao Cao had spared the three of them, offering Yu many gifts, including Red Hare, to convince him to join his army. Guan Yu had accepted, believing his brothers to be dead, and under Cao Cao he had slain both Yan Liang and Wen Chou. However, after eliminating Wen Chou, a third officer had confronted Guan Yu, an officer resplendent in emerald green armour and atop a magnificent steel-grey horse. Yu had been shocked into tranquillity as he locked gazes with his brother. He had lowered his spear and spurred his horse towards Liu Bei, but his brother had immediately sounded a retreat, and had withdrawn from the battlefield.**

**Returning from battle, Guan Yu had been hailed as a hero for slaying two generals of such calibre. It was thought that he would lead the assault on Wu Chao, but he had refused to march into battle since his duel with Wen Chou. He could not wrap his head around events. His brother, Liu Bei, was alive. Questions had raced through Yu's troubled mind. What had happened to Liu Bei? Was Zhang Fei alive too? Why did Lie Bei serve under Yuan Shao? Guan Yu had thought guiltily, did Liu Bei believe Guan Yu to be a traitor for serving Cao Cao? These questions would not relent, and demanded answers, and Guan Yu intended to find them. **

**He rose from beneath the tree. The garden was empty but for the general; everyone else was at the many feasts and banquets throughout the city. He proceeded through the large carved doorway into a richly decorated hallway. The palace belonged to the local governor of Xu Chang, who had gladly offered it to Cao Cao for as long as he should require it. Guan Yu's room was in the North wing, but instead of taking the North passage he strode, quickly and purposefully, towards the women's' quarters.**

**Since being taken from Xu Zhou, Lady Fui and Lady Yan had been treated with nothing but respect by Cao Cao. Both were incredibly beautiful, known for their sharp intellect as well as their dazzling looks. Cao Cao had provided them with a lavish quarters, several highly loyal servants and had given them a great number of gifts, dresses, jewellery and more. He had forbidden any man from treating them uncouthly, insisting that they be treated with as much respect as his own wives. However, Guan Yu had heard whispers and murmurs amongst the men. It was said that several of the generals of Cao Cao's army had set up a wager on who would be the first to lay either of the women in their bed, by force if necessary. Yu had told this to the women and sworn to them that he would destroy any man who laid but a finger on them. Both women had convinced him, though, that he could not keep them safe at all times. They insisted that the three of them escape, but Guan Yu had refused, insisting that he owed Cao Cao a debt for sparing them, and that they would have nowhere to seek safety. However, with the discovery of the very much alive Liu Bei, all that had changed.**

**Guan Yu slid open the door of the women's chambers, home of Cao Cao's wives, concubines and daughters. Fui and Yan's room was to the East of this compound and both rarely left the relative safety of the sanctum. He listened at their door, ensuring that no others were present, before opening the door and entering the lavish room. Both women were sitting by a fire, embroidering and talking quietly. They looked up as Yu entered the room, and then smiled at him.**

"**Guan Yu," said Lady Fui. "Why are you not down in the city, enjoying yourself? We can hear the music from here. They say much of it is in your honour. They are calling you a hero. "A match for a thousand warriors", they say." Both women broke into fits of giggles as she said this. Guan Yu ignored this, and bowed low.**

"**My ladies, I must speak with you now, while we will not be interrupted."**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Guan Yu, Dynasty Warriors or any of the mentioned characters**_

_**Guan Yu's Escape**_

_**Chapter 2**_

_**Before the early morning sun had crept over the mountains and slid across the lake, Guan Yu was awake, fully dressed and armed with Blue Dragon, his noble spear. He wore his ornately decorated robes, as green as spring. His few pieces of leather armour were strapped to his shoulders, forearms, waist and legs. His long, jet black beard shimmered beautifully**__**like gossamer**__**He shouldered his halberd and stepped out into the corridor, sliding the door back into place silently.**_

_**The ladies Fui and Yan were waiting for him in the courtyard, their cloaks pulled over their heads so they blended slightly with the darkness. They heard his footsteps and looked round with a start, then relaxed as his face came into focus. He strode over to them and whispered:**_

"_**The men are waiting outside the city, my ladies. We will meet them there. Please, follow me." **_

_**He led them to the nearby stables. Waiting for them was a simple wooden carriage led by two fine horses, and a small man dressed in dark clothing. Next to the carriage the horses looked strange, like a king's blacksmith using worn, shabby tools. Guan Yu apologized for the modest transport, but claimed he could only find either fine horses or a fine coach, and speed was more important than comfort for their journey. He lent each woman a hand in turn and helped them into the carriage before softly closing the door. He nodded to the short man, who climbed into the driver's seat of the carriage and clutched the reins. Yu could see his knuckles whiten with nerves. He himself walked over to a large, spacious stall and opened the gate. **_

_**Before him stood the most majestic horse in all China. It stood more than 17 hands high and its body was a deep, dark red. Its mane and tail blew in the gentle morning breeze, dancing and flowing like fire in a hearth. Red Hare woke at the soft creak of the door. Its eyes, two black coals amid a blazing fire, flickered open and it gazed into Guan Yu's. The stallion nodded its great head slightly, and then nuzzled Guan Yu affectionately. Guan Yu rested his head against the horse's muzzle. Red Hare was one of the reasons he was here in the first place. He had fallen for the horse the moment Cao Cao had taken it from the stables to present to him in return for his loyalty. Cao Cao had taken it from Lu Bu at Xia Pi. The beast was said to be able to run over 300 miles in a day. As men fled from Lu Bu, so horses fled from his great steed. **_

_**Guan Yu placed his foot in the stirrup and gracefully mounted the beautiful stallion. He turned his head to face the driver.**_

"_**We will head west, towards the city of Luo Yang. To reach the city we must pass through Dong Ling Pass. There we will decide upon our next move."**_

_**The driver nodded humbly. The stable doors were unbarred from the outside and pulled open. The stable-yard was filled with soldiers, clad in green cloth and armour. These were the men Guan Yu had judged to be loyal to him; those who had joined him in his capture from Xia Pi, but had not become subservient to Cao Cao. They numbered around two hundred and were from a rabble of different units; swordsmen, spearmen, pikemen, archers and even a few cavalry lancers mounted on the black horses typical of Cao Cao's army. These thirty horsemen were to ride ahead with Guan Yu, while the mismatched infantry defended the carriage from rear attacks or anyone who got past the front sweep. Yu spun his great halberd over his head and struck the shaft hard against the ground. The yard fell silent as every pair of eyes fell upon the mighty warrior.**_

"_**My friends," he spoke softly but still loud enough to be heard. "You are the men who have remained loyal to me and our true master, Lord Liu Bei. For this, you have my sincere gratitude. I will not make false promises that each and every one of you will live to see our Lord, for this is something you know I cannot guarantee, nor would you believe me if I did." **_

_**This received a laugh from the men. Guan Yu was popular amongst his soldiers. They knew that he cared deeply for their wellbeing, as well as that they were perhaps safer with him than with any other general; he was a powerful fighter, a strategic thinker and the bravest man any of them had ever met. **_

"_**What I **_**can **_**promise you, however," he continued, "is that those of you who fall in this escape will be honoured as the heroes who fell whilst valiantly defending the wives of your Lord. My friends, they claim that I am a warrior to match a thousand men." He raised his voice. "Well here I tell you, I would sooner face **_**ten**_** thousand men than face this two hundred before me now!"**_

_**The men cheered enthusiastically. Many generals have tried and failed to give inspiring speeches before great battles, but this was Guan Yu. No finer soldier, general or leader existed among men. His meagre army would have fought the legions of Hell at his bidding. **_

_**He wheeled his horse to face the stone archway, gave a shout for the look of the thing, then spurred Red Hare through the gateway into the great azure morning, his brave spartans eagerly following behind.**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Guan Yu, Dynasty Warriors or any of the mentioned characters**_

_**Guan Yu's Escape**_

_**Chapter 3**_

_**Later that day, the cry went up that Guan Yu had defected, along with his two hundred troops. Men were running about the city of Xu Chang, talking to this person and that, interrogating, inquiring and interviewing anyone in the city thought of as holding information regarding his whereabouts or his destination. All afternoon the leading officials in the city searched for Yu, desperately hoping to find him before they would have to inform Cao Cao that his finest general had defected. However, by early evening there was no sign of the general, and no-one within the city had any news of him. **_

_**At late evening, when the sky was being fought over by the dying sun and the newborn moon, Cao Cao and his host returned from his tour of the bases procured by his forces. He immediately retired to his quarters, as his counsellors bickered over who should bear to him the bad news.**_

"_**Chi Fu," said one, "was it not your job to organise the guards on the gate last night? Surely the folly is yours to bear"**_

"_**Not at all." returned Chi Fu, "The guards claim not to have seen Guan Yu all night, far less two hundred soldiers. They could not have stopped them anyway. Besides, it is Xi Bei Fa who was hosting the celebrations. Should not he have noticed Guan Yu's absence?"**_

"_**I must have told you a thousand times! I was busy attending to the esteemed guests. I assumed Guan Yu would have been drunk and enjoying himself."**_

_**The men gabbled and squabbled and squawked for an hour, blaming each other, lifting blame from themselves and paying no heed to anyone.**_

"_**But surely…" Chi Fu began, but was interrupted by a harsh, angry voice.**_

"_**You pathetic, cowardly **_**fools**_**!" shouted the voice from a shadowy corner of the room. The speaker rose and stepped into the circle of light. Xiahou Dun was an impressive looking man, clad in robes of deep navy and purple that showed his relation to the nobility. His long dark hair hung loose over his shoulders and his handsome face, with the bandage covering his missing left eye lost recently to Lu Bu's archers, was a grim mask of disgust for the spineless politicians. **_

"_**L… l... **__**ord Xiahou Dun." Stammered one of the counsellors, "we were merely discussing who should receive the… honour of informing Lord Cao Cao of Guan Yu's treachery."**_

"_**Pah!" exclaimed Dun, "Do not waste your cheap trickery on me, worm. I know that each of you is terrified to approach my cousin for fear of your life. However, I relish the opportunity to finally reveal to my cousin the true nature of the snake, Guan Yu. To that end, I shall be the one to speak with him." And with that, he left, leaving the shaking councillors to argue over some other pointless issue.**_

_**Cao Cao's chambers were surprisingly simple for such a powerful man. The walls held only a small numbers of his favourite pieces of art. The furniture was of the traditional sort from his home county of Qiao, and the books were filled of classic literature. Guards patrolled the outer corridor, the floors above and below and two were positioned on the balcony. Many warlords would have insisted on more, but Cao Cao was not a fearful man, and he was also proficient with his longsword. Xiahou Dun gave the guards at the door a fierce glance as they barred his entrance, and impatiently waited as they asked Cao Cao if he was prepared to see his general. When the warlord had rebuked them for obstructing Dun, and they had sheepishly apologized and granted him passage, he stood before his lord. Cao Cao himself was still in the amiable mood from his recent victory, and was pleasantly practicing calligraphy. **_

"_**Please sit down, Cousin Dun. Might I offer you some fine sake?" **_

_**Xiahou Dun remained standing, stiff and stationary. Despite his earlier show of confidence his cousin's easily changing temper was a difficult current to sail. He had to be careful, or risk his lord's wrath falling upon him. **_

"_**My Lord Cao Cao," he began, "You will recall my earlier warnings against your enlistment of the general Guan Yu?"**_

_**Cao Cao smirked. Dun had relentlessly pursued him over the decision, highlighting Guan Yu's every fault and wrongdoing, predicting betrayal and treachery from the general.**_

"_**I seem to recollect a slight objection, yes. Why do you mention it?"**_

_**The sweat trickled down Dun's forehead. "I regret to inform you that last night, whilst the rest of the city celebrated your well-earned victory, the snake Guan Yu fled from us, taking with him two hundred of the soldiers captured from Xia Pi as well as thirty horses. We have spared no effort in speaking with anyone who may know of his motives for leaving but we have yet to uncover any indication as to where he may be."**_

_**Cao Cao's face was facing away from Dun, perhaps for the better. The one-eyed general had no desire to see the mask of fury on his lord's face. He could hear the sharp intakes of breath revealing the man's rage. Any moment now he was going to feel the true rage of Cao Cao. **_

_**And then his lord…laughed! It started as a small chuckle, and then gradually grew to a hearty laugh from the bottom of the lungs. Xiahou Dun gaped in astonishment. Surely his lord did not truly understand.**_

"_**My lord I …"**_

"_**Oh I should've seen this coming… I was a fool not to. Liu Bei, Guan Yu's sworn brother, fighting in the service of my enemy Yuan Shao. Such an ironic twist."**_

"_**My lord? I shall dispatch our elite light cavalry; send messengers to every city, town and village under our control…"**_

_**Cao Cao raised a ringed hand to stop him in mid-sentence. The laughter had stopped, but a smile remained on his face.**_

"_**No…no… you will do no such thing." He paused for a few seconds, considering his options. "Guan Yu will head towards Yuan Shao's territory. To do that he must cross the Yellow river… he will make for Luo Yang to begin with. Send word to Kong Xiu at Dong Ling Pass, and to all the generals and officers in the land; they are not to hinder or pursue Guan Yu."**_

_**Xiahou Dun was stunned. "My…my lord! I must object. If we allow Guan Yu to join with Liu Bei they will pose a threat to us in later years. He must be caught and punished for his treachery."**_

_**Cao Cao rose and walked to the window. The night sky was clear, and the noises of celebration still rose from the streets of Xu Chang. "I have no right to keep Guan Yu in my service any longer. In slaying Yan Liang and Wen Chou he has more than fulfilled any debt owed to me. Perhaps I shall regret this decision later, but that man has earned his freedom."**_

"_**But my lord, the man returns to a master who abandoned him in Xia Pi, and in doing so he abandons you, the kind heart who sheltered him from his enemies. What kind a man behaves in such a way?"**_

_**Cao Cao smirked, and then turned briefly to face Xiahou Dun. **_

"_**To each his own. Now go." And with that, he turned and Dun knew he was dismissed. He growled in irritation and marched towards the door, his midnight blue cape swirling behind him. The moment he left the chamber one of the guards bumped against him and was hurled to the floor for doing so. By the time his comrade had pulled him to his feet Xiahou Dun was gone. **_

_**He stormed back towards the chamber occupied by the councillors and threw open the doors. Silence fell like a thick shroud smothering flames. **_

"_**My l...ord… Xiahou Dun! You have returned. What orders do you bring from Lord Cao Cao?"**_

_**Xiahou Dun's head was clouded with rage. How could his lord do this? How could he suffer the traitor Guan Yu to live? Did he not see that left alive Guan Yu would become a great threat to Cao Cao's ideas of unifying the land? Surely his cousin was wrong. Guan Yu was a powerful warrior; Dun could not deny that, and under the leadership of Liu Bei he could easily be the death of Cao Cao. No, thought Dun, I shall not allow this turncoat to roam free in search of his immoral lord. I shall stop Guan Yu before he can reach Liu Bei, even if I must go against my lord's orders.**_

"_**Hear me now," he bellowed to the assembled viziers. "Our esteemed Lord Cao Cao has decreed that it is the duty of every officer in his service to bring the head of Guan Yu." He paused. "However, our lord does not wish to be further distracted by this nuisance, instead wishing to focus on Yuan Shao. Therefore, any word regarding Guan Yu must be delivered directly to me and **_**to me alone**_**. I trust I am understood perfectly?"**_

_**The terrified answers confirmed that this was indeed so. Xiahou Dun had slain a man when he was fourteen years old. One did not misunderstand a man like that.**_

_**The one-eyed terror spun on his heel and stalked irately into the deep darkness of the night. Guan Yu had betrayed his lord and cousin, and he would die for it.**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Guan Yu, Dynasty Warriors or any of the mentioned characters**_

_**Guan Yu's Escape**_

_**Chapter 4**_

_**Guan Yu sat atop Red Hare on the grassy hill. His eagle sharp eyes scanned the lush countryside before him. A mile or so behind him was the carriage, protected by its escort. His own cavalry patrol was milling around about him as he surveyed the landscape before him. From the vantage point he could see Dong Ming Pass. A large stone gateway built into a mountainside, leading to the tunnel carved through the mountain range. To pass through the gate legally he would need a document signed by Cao Cao himself. A document, needless to say, Guan Yu did not possess. **_

_**A day had passed since their departure, and the sun was rising to the east. Guan Yu turned to his horsemen. **_

"_**Alright, rest time is over. Saddle up and prepare to move on."**_

_**Within ten minutes he and his patrol were galloping down the hillside. This part of the country consisted of vast open plains; perfect for a band of riders. Dong Ming Pass, once a mere speck on the horizon was quickly growing into a vast behemoth in the side of the approaching mountain range. Soon he could see the men posted on the towers on either side of the gateway, each man clad in light mail and azure clothing and armed with bows. As the horsemen approached the Pass, other soldiers emerged from tents and wagons, wary of these green-clad riders. Guan Yu spurred Red Hare on purposefully, paying no heed to the gathering defenders. It was only when their leader emerged that he stopped. He did not know the man's name, but if he was to judge from appearances he was not impressed.**_

_**The man wore elaborate blue tinted armour and an officer's sword. He sat astride a tan coloured horse and was escorted by an entourage of ten men. However, despite these attempts to dignify his presence, he had the face of a clerk. A man who would rather work behind a desk, writing forms and letters, than defending a crucial outpost. His features were sharp and rodent-like, eyes darting all around him. He looked at Guan Yu with barely suppressed terror. He edged his horse slightly forward as Yu and his men came to a stop before him. The captain's bodyguards formed a closely knit line between the two parties, growling at Guan Yu in a threatening manner. Despite his distaste for this man, Yu decided to take the diplomatic approach to the situation. He raised his halberd in salute.**_

"_**Good morning sir," he said. "I trust I find you well this day?"**_

_**The man's face gave one last glimpse of terror and then set in a pathetic mask of confidence. As Guan Yu had expected, the man's voice was thin and reedy. **_

"_**Indeed, you do sir. I trust I find you the same." This was not a question, and the man did not wait for an answer. "I am Captain Kong Xiu, Marshal of Luo Yang and Protector of Dong Ming Pass. I command two hundred men at this Pass and am authorised to demand a certificate of approval signed by Lord Cao Cao before allowing you to pass through this gate."**_

_**Guan Yu smiled ruefully to himself. So much for the diplomatic approach, he thought. He had counted only forty men around the gateway, and guessed that the captain was exaggerating the size of his forces. His thirty horsemen appeared to stand idle, but Yu could tell that each man was in a position to fight. His remaining foot-soldiers approached behind them, but were too far away to help in this fight... He sighed and then raised his halberd until it was level with Kong Xiu's face, despite the five meters between them. He smiled, but his face contained more malice than the grim snarl of any bloodthirsty tyrant. **_

"_**Ah… I see we have hit somewhat of a snag. For you see, I do not possess any such document. I am leaving these lands without the permission of Cao Cao." Kong Xiu stared at him in terror. His guards, a moment ago were brimming with confidence and bravado, were now edging away in uncertainty from this emerald devil. "You have two choices. You can either let me and my men through this gate without interference, or you can stand in my way and die."**_

"_**Do not be a fool, sir," spluttered Kong Xiu. "You have perhaps thirty men at your command. I have two hundred. No man may face those odds. My archers will kill you in your saddle and your men will be taken as traitors. Who are you, anyway?" At this Guan Yu lowered his head and smiled.**_

"_**My name… is Guan Yu." **_

_**The effect of these words was like a ripple. The men guarding Kong Xiu became white as a flag of truce. They lost their last ounce of loyalty and fled. The name of Guan Yu was whispered from soldier to soldier, and the masks of horror spread like a deadly plague. As Kong Xiu himself paled at the name, his adversary struck. Defying all capabilities of a regular horse, Red Hare leapt from the spot and flew through the air. The Blue Dragon scythed through the air, its blade singing as it swept towards its target. All around him his men were spurring their horses towards the fleeing guards, but Guan Yu concentrated solely on his blade's prey. Kong Xiu slowly regained his senses and reached for the hilt of his sword but it was far too late. The crescent shaped blade entered his body between his neck and collarbone, cutting through his flesh like a hot poker through snow. He cleaved Kong Xiu's torso in two with one blow, and the top half tumbled from the saddle. The severed body hit the ground at the same moment as Red Hare's front hooves, but Red Hare did not stop. He leapt forward again and sprinted towards Guan Yu's next victim. **_

_**Guan Yu whirled the halberd through the air and swung it to his other side. It cut into the neck of one of the few soldiers still within striking distance. The unlucky warrior spun as he fell to the ground. The guards on the towers sent arrows whistling down towards the horsemen. One struck a blue clad soldier in the upper arm to the left of Guan Yu and he cleaved through the man's neck as he recoiled in pain. He rode on, striking down two more with a smooth circular sweep. An arrow thudded into the chest of one of his men who fell to the ground with a shout. A large bearded lieutenant charged Guan Yu with a yell, thrusting his spear at Red Hare's throat. The fiery stallion reared up as Guan Yu changed his grip on Blue Dragon and drove it into the man's chest. The man gargled as his blood spilled down his torso and then collapsed backwards as the halberd was withdrawn. Yu wheeled his horse around and surveyed the field. He himself had killed five men, while another twelve had fallen to his cavalry. Three of his own men had fallen to the enemy's' arrows, and the blue soldiers had recovered from their first shock and were rallying. He counted ten men upon the towers, and arrows still streaked down upon the riders. He shouted to his own men to circle the reforming enemy and pick them off while he rode towards one of the towers. A ladder was bound to the side, but climbing it would make him vulnerable to fire from above, so he decided to take an alternative approach.**_

_**As Red Hare neared the wooden structure Guan Yu gripped Blue Dragon and raised himself until he was standing in the stirrups then climbed to his feet on the beast's back. The horse, guided by Guan Yu's feet, veered sharply away from the tower and it was then that Guan Yu leapt. He swung the halberd down in an arc and it struck a beam. He pushed his own weight down onto the weapon and lifted himself up, landing his feet two beams up. He leapt across the tower, vaulting with his halberd again. He continued this until he gripped the bottom of the tower, his halberd lodged in the wooden beam beneath him. Far below, his men had scattered the foot-soldiers but were still being slain and wounded by the archers who seemed oblivious to Guan Yu's presence. Three were in the tower above his head, three in the tower to his right and four in the furthest away tower. Yu gritted his teeth plucked out Blue Dragon and swung his whole body onto the tower.**_

_**He dispatched one of the archers before they knew what was happening, and cut through another as he drew his sword. He spun, parried the third's strike, and then struck him in the chin with the butt of the weapon. The luckless soldier screamed until he struck the solid ground. Within three seconds all three men were dead, and the other archers were none the wiser. **_

_**He kicked a fallen bow from his feet and caught it out the air, then bent down and pulled a handful of arrows from one of the archers' quivers. He notched an arrow to the bow. It was a poorly made weapon, a far stretch from the finely wrought hunting bows he was used to, but it would send an arrow at least to the next tower. He crouched on one knee, turned his bow arm horizontally and aimed at the largest of the three bowmen in the nearest tower. Guan Yu held his breath to steady his aim, and let loose the arrow. The missile darted through the air gracefully, and struck the big man hard in the chest. The archer tipped backwards, and Guan Yu saw his body tumble to earth. The other archers finally noticed the warrior's presence, and shouted warnings to the third tower. One man in the nearest tower fired his already drawn bow, but the shot was rushed and the arrow thudded harmlessly into a beam below Guan Yu. The other man drew his own bow a second behind Guan Yu, raised it to fire a second behind Guan Yu, and let his arrow fire to the ground as his neck was pierced by Guan Yu's missile. The tower furthest from Guan Yu was no immediate threat to him, and for that he cursed. He would prefer them to shoot at him rather than his men. Below the towers the horsemen were continuing their sweep of the camp, albeit with less momentum than their initial assault. The azure-clad soldiers were resisting admirably, and only the fiercest fighters were alive, but for every foot soldier still fighting, two horsemen fought against him, while all the while the arrows seared towards the soldiers. Guan Yu notched another arrow, pulled his head back to avoid his opponent's shot, took time aiming, and then let fly another arrow. The projectile hit the man just below its intended target; his left eye. The unfortunate bowman's cry echoed throughout the mountains, and even the hardest of Guan Yu's marching infantry shuddered at the sound.**_

_**Turning his attention to the final tower, Guan Yu saw that several of his men had despatched their opponents on the ground and now rushed the tower, the archers drawing their knives, having spent their arrows. He picked up Blue Dragon and hurled it towards the ground, before climbing down the ladder on the side of the tower. The warriors on the ground had all fallen or fled, and the men at the top of the final tower had decided that their salary was decidedly less than their current conditions deserved and threw down their weapons. Shouldering his blade, Yu surveyed the field. The corpses of his enemies lay hacked to pieces before the gate, but there were glimpses of green among the blue bodies. Upon closer inspection it was revealed that nine of his men had fallen, and several more were wounded. He approached Red Hare and mounted him. **_

"_**Get the wounded on horses," he shouted. "Tie the prisoners to the tower and leave them for their comrades… Bury the dead" **_

_**He spurred Red Hare back, towards the approaching infantry. Some had drawn their swords, in anticipation of the battle which was now over.**_

"_**We'll rest here tonight and take the mountain passage tomorrow. Sergeant Hao?"**_

_**A brawny, dark skinned man carrying a long pike stepped out from the front of the ranks.**_

"_**Sir?"**_

"_**Pick your men for guard duty. There should be more men inside the pass and I have no intention of being ambushed as we sleep. The rest of you, fall out and set up camp."**_

_**It took two hours for the camp to set up, but by that time the men had mourned for their lost comrades and were in relatively high spirits. Yu did not allow them sake, but examination of Kong Xiu's stores produced oxen meat, chicken, bread rolls and a few sacks of rice. These produced a better meal than the soldiers had imagined they were likely to receive for some time. Guan Yu milled about the tents, sharing rice with one group of men, swapping stories with another. Ladies Fui and Yan stayed in their own tent. They would have been made welcome amongst the men, but the high born Ladies felt awkward around the hardened soldiers. When Yu swept aside the canvas door and entered the tent, both women were delicately eating the best rice and fruit, found in Kong Xiu's private supplies. Guan Yu bowed to each in turn.**_

"_**My ladies, I trust you find your quarters adequate?"**_

"_**Oh Guan Yu, they're splendid," Replied Lady Fui. "The food is exquisite, and your men have been very helpful."**_

_**Guan Yu smiled. "I am glad that you are comfortable, my lady, although the men are not mine. Their loyalty is to Lord Liu Bei. As is my own."**_

_**At this show of modesty, Lady Yan smiled softly.**_

"_**Come now, Guan Yu," she said. "Do you think these men would follow any other officer? Zhang Fei, perhaps?"**_

_**Yu couldn't help but smile at the thought of his sworn brother, a mighty warrior but a mightier drinker, leading a host of men on a battlefield.**_

"_**My brother is a noble man…" he said. "I'm sure if the need arose he would command men as well as any lord. Now if you'll excuse me, my ladies, I must see to the sentries before I retire. Tomorrow I and a group of foot-soldiers shall advance ahead of your carriage and the rest of the men."**_

_**With that, Guan Yu said his goodnights and left the tent.**_

_**He and his chosen band of thirty men rose early the next morning. The men were equipped with short swords and bucklers, with no bows. The pass was narrow, and Guan Yu did not want any casualties as a result of poor coordination. Their aim was to sweep the pass of any defenders who remained, then assault what forces remained on the other side, relying on Sergeant Hao to bring the remainder of the force to their aid. Red Hare was left with the sergeant, and after a quick breakfast from Kong Xiu's stores the skirmishing party departed through the mountain pass. **_

_**The pass was, for a large part, naturally formed. When Cao Cao had taken the territory he had noticed the pass through the mountain range and decided to have it manually fortified as a defensive pass. However, these defences had been constructed with the intention of defending from assaults from Yuan Shao's camp, not from that of Cao Cao, and in this fact lay Guan Yu's advantage. Judging from Kong Xiu's failure to match a fugitive on a red horse to the name of Guan Yu, it would appear that word had not yet reached the outlying regions of his defection, and this gave him at least a few hours ahead of his pursuers. **_

_**He and his men stalked through the empty darkness. Evidently it was the job of one of Kong Xiu's men to light to torches which lined the walls of the Pass, or else the men at the other end were not yet awake. Guan Yu could see the embrasures where the defenders would stand during the day, but as his men advanced deeper and deeper into the pitch black, they encountered no night guards or switching patrols, none of the men that Kong Xiu had spoken of. This lack of resistance irritated Yu. He had hoped to make use of the darkness and the early hour by ambushing as many of the enemy as possible in the confines of the Pass, but it seemed as though he would be forced into another open confrontation against the remnants of the garrison, costing him more soldiers. Not only this, but he could not risk the ladies by placing them near the entire enemy force, and so he would have to deplete their numbers as best he could before reinforcements arrived with the carriage. His soldiers could not understand why he was disappointed at the lack of opposition; although they were not cowards they all felt that, at this early stage in their escape, the less fighting to be done the better. Gradually the company began to approach the end of the tunnel, and even the dim light of the morning outside burst through the darkness like a supernova. **_

"_**Make ready!" hissed Guan Yu. There was a soft noise as thirty blades were slowly drawn from their scabbards. Guan Yu could practically feel the tension rise in his group of men, for they all knew that they were about to face their enemy, out in the dim morning sunshine, with the rest of their company far behind them. Once again, Guan Yu decided, he would begin with attempting to negotiate with whoever guarded the Outer Gate, but he had no real hope that this would have any more effect than it had before. He ordered his men into a column of ten rows, slung Blue Dragon over his shoulder, and marched through the stone archway into the arms of his waiting foes. **_


End file.
